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A Division of the
Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO)
In this edition of CCAN's
LOCAL FOCUS:
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Greetings! In this special publication you will find
information about community resources to help save money,
how to apply for fuel assistance and food stamps, and how to
get assistance preparing your taxes. I encourage you to see
whether there's anything here that could help you, a family
member or a friend. In Burlington, over 40 VISTA and
AmeriCorps members are working to improve the lives of youth
by matching them with mentors; expand opportunities for
low-income residents and refugees; alleviate illiteracy; and
build safe and healthy neighborhoods by bringing residents
together. VISTA members also lead their fellow citizens in
completing service projects and help organize the City's
celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Day. Thank you for
taking the time to read through this information. Working
together, we can make a difference in our community.
With best regards, Mayor Bob Kiss
Recognize a neighbor you admire by making a nomination
for a Neighborhood Leader Award to be given at the 9th
Annual Neighborhood Night of Success. This annual event
honors the people who make Burlington a great place to live,
work and play.
Neighborhood Night of Success
Community Dinner & Awards
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
5:30pm-7:00pm
Nominations of persons, groups and businesses are
welcomed. E-mail, call or write the following information:
- Your Name & Contact info
- Nominee Name & Contact Info
- Description of nominee making Burlington a better
place to live, work and play
Send to: Ita Meno, 125 College St, 2nd Floor, Burlington,
VT 05401, (802) 865-7172, imeno@ci.burlington.vt.us.
The CASH Coalition is returning to provide you with ways
to SAVE during the tax season. Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance (VITA) Sites are open and ready to help YOU! Have
your taxes done for FREE!
Don't leave money that you're entitled to unclaimed,
and don't pay someone to get your money back. Help is
available; we have daytime, evening and weekend hours. If
you earned less than $42,000 in 2008, dial Vermont's 2-1-1
information line (just dial 2-1-1) to make an appointment at
one of three convenient locations to get free help with your
taxes from mid-January through April:
| Burlington |
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City Hall (Downtown)
149 Church Street
3rd Floor, Room 32
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| Old North End |
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CVOEO
Community Action
91 North Street |
| Winooski |
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Casey Family Services
46 Main Street
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| Appointments are
REQUIRED! Call 2-1-1. |
If you and/or your spouse earned income last year and are
ages 25 - 65, or if you have children and are under 25, you
can reduce your taxes or even get money back from the
government! A family with two or more children could be
eligible for a refund of up to $6,368 in combined federal
and state EITC credits, depending on income level. To apply,
complete the Federal and State EITC forms in your Income Tax
Return booklet and file them with your tax returns, or make
an appointment for free tax assistance with the 2-1-1
information line. Did you know that if you have children and
qualify for EITC, you may also qualify for food stamps and
other benefits?
You can receive your refund directly in your checking
account, in 7-10 days at no cost (three weeks if mailed).
Don't have a bank account? Our trained staff and
volunteers, at ALL THREE TAX SITES, will help get you all
the information you need to open one with as little as $5.
DID YOU KNOW? You can divide your refund and deposit it
into as many as three bank accounts. To take advantage of
this opportunity, be sure to bring your account information
to your appointment.
- The Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf offers
three different programs to help keep you and your
family eating well when your cupboard or pantry runs
low:
- Free Food Distribution
Monday-Friday
9am-4pm
- Free Groceries delivered to eligible,
low-income, home- bound seniors and disabled adults
- Free Breakfast or early Lunch
Monday-Friday, Sunday: 7am-10:30am
Bag lunches available for takeout
Location: 228 N. Winooski Ave.
Call: (802) 658-7939
- J.U.M.P. provides emergency assistance for
basic needs, including food, transportation &
prescriptions
Monday-Friday
8:30am-Noon
Location: 38 S. Winooski Ave (in the First
Congregational Church, United Church of Christ)
Call: (802) 862-4501
- The Salvation Army serves free dinner, bread
and pastries. Emergency Assistance is available on a
case by case basis and is by appointment only.
Monday-Friday
1pm-4pm
Location: 64 Main Street, Burlington
Call: (802) 864-6991
- School Meals - children may be able to
receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch at any
Burlington School District school. Apply any time.
Call: (802) 864-8438
- Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides
food to women who are pregnant or have had a baby within
the past six months, women who are breast-feeding, and
infants and children up to age 5. WIC delivers packages
of milk, cheese, eggs, peanut butter, cereal, and juice
to your home.
Call: (802) 863-7333
- Food Stamps are available to qualified
persons if you are: working, unemployed, homeless or
living with others, an immigrant, 60+ or disabled adult
with or without children, student, or AmeriCorps member.
Qualifying for EITC may also qualify you for food
stamps. You DO NOT have to receive welfare to receive
food stamps!
Location: 190 Flynn Avenue
Call: (802) 865-0255
On the Web:
www.vermontfoodhelp.com
The Economic Services Division of the Vermont Department
for Children and Families offers a range of services from
health care to fuel assistance. Green Mountain Care is a
family of low-cost and free health coverage programs offered
by the State of Vermont and its partners, including
Catamount Health, Dr. Dynasaur, Vermont Health Access Plan (VHAP),
and Medicaid. You may even qualify for premium assistance to
help you pay for your insurance at work.
Families & Children
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Dr. Dynosaur - A parent or
guardian living with the child must apply for the child
to receive health care insurance. Children ages 18 &
under are eligible.
Call: (800) 250-8427
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Reach Up - This program helps
families with children by providing services that
support work, cash assistance for basic necessities, and
health insurance.
Call: (800) 287-0589
Adults & Seniors
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Vermont Health Access Plan - This
insurance program for adults covers a wide range of
services including hospital care and doctor visits.
Call: (800) 250-8427
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Catamount Health - Provides
comprehensive, quality health coverage at a reasonable
cost no matter how much you earn. Depending on your
income, you may even receive premium assistance.
Call: (800) 250-8427
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Prescription Assistance - Offers
to help uninsured Vermonters and those enrolled in
Medicare pay for prescription medicines based on income,
disability status and age.
Call: (800) 250-8427
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Medicaid - Offers health
insurance to any elderly person (aged 65+) earning less
than $800 a month.
Call: (800) 464-4343
Are you unsure if you qualify for any of
these services or wish to find out more? Finding out
is easy and free. Call any of the numbers above or reach
services at any of these numbers/websites:
On the Web:
Call:
Fuel Assistance is available during the
winter months for eligible Vermonters who rent or own homes.
Eligible persons will receive money to use towards their
heating bills. If you can't afford your heating bills, don't
wait. Use the info below to help you keep your home warm
this winter. Call:
On the Web:
*If you have a Heating Emergency, the Crisis
Fuel Program is available NOW for assistance. Call the
number for Community Action or visit them at 191 North
Street TODAY!
If you are renting and have any questions
about your rights or your landlord's rights and
responsibilities, you can get a FREE copy of 'Renting in
Vermont.' This booklet is available in multiple
languages. It is filled with helpful and important
legal, health and safety information. To get a copy or for
more information, call:
On the Web:
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Does your landlord refuse to fix things?
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Do you have an overpayment of food stamp
benefits?
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Are creditors calling you?
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Behind in mortgage payments?
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Do you have a question about your
Medicare or health insurance coverage?
YOU CAN GET LEGAL HELP FOR FREE!
Vermont Legal Aid is a non-profit law firm organized to help
Vermonters who have low incomes, are elderly or disabled,
and have legal problems. Vermont Legal Aid does not handle
criminal cases. There is no charge for services. To find out
if VT Legal Aid, or their partners at Law Line, has services
available for you, or to get more information, call:
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(802) 863-5620
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(800) 747-5022
On the Web:
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You may qualify for grants or
low-interest loans for critical home repairs, lead-based
paint hazard reduction, access modifications, exterior
paint, or the purchase of an owner-occupied two to four
unit building in Burlington.
Call: (802) 652-4209
On the Web:
www.cedoburlington.org
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Burlington Lead Program - Make
your home or apartment safe from lead-based paint
hazards by enrolling in the Burlington Lead Program.
After five years, all funds become a grant. The
Burlington Lead Program replaces old windows, repaints
building exteriors and stabilizes all interior lead
paint.
Call: (802) 865-LEAD (5323)
On the Web:
www.cedoburlington.org
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Homeowner Property Taxes - Your
Homeowner's Property Tax is now paid directly to the
City to offset your taxes every year. All
homeowners must file the Declaration of Homestead form
file HS-122. If you don't file form HS-122, your
property will be taxed at a higher rate! You can
have your property taxes adjusted if your household
income is $97,000 or less. If you are claiming an
adjustment, complete the entire Form 122 and attach
Household Income Form HI-144. All of these forms
are found in the VT Tax Booklet. Pick up the VT
Tax Booklet at the post office, library or IRS. If
you need help or have questions about any of these
forms, call: 2-1-1 (Information Line).
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Renter's Rebate - If you rented
in Vermont every day in 2008, and your household makes
less than $47,000 a year, you may be eligible to file a
renter's rebate claim. To file, complete the Renter
Rebate Claim form PR-141 and HI-144 in the VT Tax Form
Booklet. Ask your landlord to complete form LC-
142. All of these forms are found in the VT Tax
Booklet. Pick up the VT Tax Booklet at the post
office, library or IRS. If you need help or have
questions about any of these forms, call: 2-1-1
(Information Line).
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Housing Resource Center - Late in
rent? Is your mortgage late? COTS now has a
resource center available to help keep you in your home.
Call: (802) 861-0110
Location: 100 North Street
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10am-2pm
Money used to be so simple, either you had
it or you didn't. Now we have credit cards and are at
risk of having more debt than we can re-pay. There are
a number of programs that can help you understand your
finances, credit & credit scoring, and help you save or pay
off debt.
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Free Credit Report Review Day -
What Is A Credit Score? When you're applying for a
credit card, a car loan, a personal loan or mortgage;
lenders will want to know your credit risk level.
Essentially, if they give you a loan, how likely is it
that they will get paid back on time. The higher your
score, the less you pay for: a car loan, a mortgage
loan, credit card interest, car and other insurance, and
utilities deposits. Plus, it may influence your
chances of getting a job or an apartment. A few
times a year, the CASH Coalition hosts a free Credit
Report Review Day event at the CVOEO Micro Business
Office in the Old North End. Participants are
provided with a copy of their credit report and 25
minutes of free credit counseling with a qualified
volunteer. Participants must have a household
income of less than $42,000. To sign up for the next
free Credit Report Review Day, call: (802) 655-6688 ext
4712.
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Asset Development Services - The
Micro Business Development Program (MBDP) now
provides a variety of counseling, educational and
savings programs designed to help people become more
knowledgeable consumers of credit and bank services, and
to better manage their personal finances. MBDP's
focus is to assist low-income Vermonters to start and
expand businesses through counseling and classroom
training. Individuals typically have a strong
desire to pursue a particular project, but with minimal
business experience or resources. Clients are
given one-on-one support from counselors to help them
evaluate the feasibility of their concept, develop a
strong business plan and receive additional support as
needed to carry out that plan. MBDP offers support
for:
• Micro-enterprise (very small business) development
• Individual Development Accounts
• Personal Financial Education
Call: (802) 860-1417 ext 104 (800) 287-7971
On the Web: www.cvoeo.org
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Opportunities Credit Union -
Opportunities Credit Union is a not-for-profit community
development credit union that has helped thousands of
individuals, families and small business owners create
their own success. Their mission is to build
wealth, community, and opportunity through a fair and
affordable financial system for everyone. They
will treat you like a person, not a number. With
19 years of service, Opportunities has served over
15,000 individuals and families in every Vermont county.
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Opportunities Credit Union Products &
Services - Opportunities is a safe, fair and member
owned credit union that will grow your money and help it
work for you. For more information:
• Budgeting, credit and/or debt counseling services
• Loans for Vermonters with disabilities
• Affordable mortgages/homeownership counseling
• Manufactured home loans
• Small and micro-business loans
• Tracker loans for credit building, wealth building
and/ or debt reduction
• Starter savings CDs and special wealth building
products • NEWheels - affordable monthly payments on new
cars
• Socially responsible investments and IRAs
Call: (800) 865-8328
On the Web:
www.oppsvt.org
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For More Information about FREE financial
classes & events, visit the website of the CASH
Coalition at
www.cashvt.org. |
The Center for Community
and Neighborhoods (CCAN), the Community Development
Division of the City of Burlington's
Community & Economic
Development Office, is home to a broad spectrum of
initiatives that inspire and support community
participation, direct citizen action, and responsive local
government. CCAN is built on the premise that social
capital is as valuable as economic capital and that
sustainable community development requires both. CCAN
works to engage residents in partnership with the public and
private sector. We work together to shape municipal
plans, allocate resources, respond to crime, resolve
conflict and improve neighborhoods. Each year, over
4,000 residents are involved in innovative activities from
neighborhood planning and problem solving to restorative
justice panels and graffiti removal.
Directions to CCAN:
CCAN is located at 125 College Street, on the 2nd Floor of
the Wells-Richardson Building (above the Daily News).
For more information about this publication or to get
involved with any of our programs, please the Center for
Community and Neighborhoods. This publication and all
CCAN programs are accessible and available in alternative
formats. Call: (802) 865-7155.
Contact Us:
Center for Community and Neighborhoods
125 College Street, 2nd Floor
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone (802) 865-7155
Fax (802) 865-7117
TTY (802) 865-7142
www.cedoburlington.org
For more information about this publication or to get
involved with any of our programs, please the Center for
Community and Neighborhoods. This publication and all
CCAN programs are accessible and available in alternative
formats. Call: (802) 865-7155. |
